Jurgen Klopp has tipped Joe Gomez for a big season after admitting Ibrahima Konate's injury is a "massive blow" for Liverpool.
After returning to action last summer following surgery on a serious knee problem in November 2020, Gomez made just eight Premier League appearances last term, starting four, which all came in the unfamiliar role at right-back.
Having had the benefit of a full and uninterrupted summer schedule, Klopp is expecting Gomez, who signed a new contract last month, to be a much more influential figure around the squad this coming campaign after revealing his disappointment following the injury to Konate.
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The France international defender hurt himself during the 3-0 friendly defeat to Strasbourg on Sunday and has been ruled out of Saturday's lunchtime curtain-raiser at Fulham.
"With Joe, it is most important he stays fit, and that is what we try with all we can because that was the stop and go situation," Klopp said. "It is not that he was fit from the first day and I just didn't pick him for quality reasons, that was never the case.
"When he was constantly fit he played an awful lot of games. We all know that last season we could rotate like crazy between the three of them when Joe wasn't fit and then when he was fit again, there are always reasons.
"If he stays fit then everything will be fine, he is an outstanding player. Yes he needs rhythm like we all rhythm, we try to give him that, that's clear.
"The good news is when you have a massive blow like it is with Ibou (Konate), you need to have solutions. It is always the same, you need to be lucky with injuries. We are always really self-critical and we say 'what could we have done differently?' but apart from the contact injuries, which can happen, there were always good reasons which we couldn't influence.
"Now it is all OK for the moment. Joe committed his future to the club so I can’t see why this year should be so important for him to prove himself. I wanted him to stay here, he is a top player and he will play games for Liverpool Football Club, definitely."
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